Great food, great portions and great service! Everything was delicious, will be sure to order from here again!

Mama Woo's is the best Korean BBQ! Their meat jun is some of the best I have had. Always great service!

Mama's is always great food. I love coming and seeing what new banchan is prepped that day. I wish I could stop by more regularly and often. my favorite Korean joint in town by far. read more

I love going to mama woo for my Korean food fix. Great portions, tasty and satisfying. Nothing like homemade Korean food. Kim Chee & Taegu is too die for read more

Too Woo Or Not To Woo That Is The Question............ I live near this restaurant and this is a long time coming review, and I will explain why I didn't review it earlier. I have been coming here since the place first opened because the food is legit Korean with a fast food flair. Forget Yummys, Peppas, etc..this place has real Korean plates with unique side dishes. I lived in Korea for 7 years and never saw cool ban chan like this. And furthermore, the portions are so worth it. So your probably asking, big portions, great food, why not a five star review or early review. Well two reasons: 1. They only took (and still do) cash. Why would you not cater to folks not carrying cash? Because the restaurant is too cheap to pay the fee to have a charge terminal installed. 2. Mama herself......she was never nice, happy, or appreciative when customers came in. She appeared grouchy and mean when taking orders. For these reasons I actually stopped going because those reasons pissed me off...just saying. Well, recently I went back and was happy to see the same awesome food, and a new Mama Woo! It was absolutely a pleasant experience, and she was so nice. What happened? I don't know or care, but now she deserved a review. I can only give four stars cause of the cash only thing..and horrible parking. read more

Mama Woo's BBQ - Korean Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Been here several times, the food is not bad but for the price they charge they should give a little more rice and food, not enough for me. The give 4 sides its okay. read more

Portions are super small.. The portions look like a kids meal.. not impressed by their meat jun and sides.. definitely not going back!!!!

You can never go wrong with Korean food. I love everything they have to offer. Located across from McDonald's on South King, this hole-in-the-wall place is a must visit. It reminds me of Yummy's Korean BBQ except Mama's has different veggie choices which I enjoy. This place is more for take-out but there are a couple tables for you to eat there if you wish. I enjoy most of the food except for the mochiko chicken which I'm not a fan of. PROS: Good food Great menu selection Good service Good portion size for price Budget friendly Fast service Cons: Limited parking spaces but not a big deal read more

See all

We love mama wood fast,easy, good for what you pay for... Something seems like portions get a lil low, but overall it what you pay for at a fast food Korean restaurant. read more

Big portion of fish jun! I got there just after 10 am when they just opened, people were already there. I got Fish Jun plate which came with rice and 4 vegetable choices! Vegetable choices are quite a lot and fresh! And I have to say this their rice is very tasty. I'm a Japanese, so I know which one is good rice Taste very good and very reasonable! Cash only read more

Mama Woo's BBQ - Yummy Fish Jun - Korean Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Had catering from Mama Woo's and it was absolutely delicious! The noodles and bbq chicken were so good. The kalbi is a must try as well! Highly recommend, and the kindest people work there read more

Hole in a spot place. As you're walking to this spot you can just smell the aroma from the restaurant coming outside. As you walk in you have their menu and choice so sides behind the counter. They have a wide variety of options and plates to put together. They are very welcoming and helpful when it comes to finding something to eat. Would definitely recommend this spot to any one read more

My husband and I went to get our regular banchan plate(5 choices, no rice). Mind you , we are regular customers because my husband likes their potato salad, and in fact had a whole tray at his birthday party. So a few days ago, we went and decided to try their (new)!papaya salad. It was so good so went back a couple days later to (hopefully)get it again. To our surprise they did and I asked for 3 servings of it with the other 2 banchan. To my surprise and dismay, the lady told me "not today, maybe next time". What?! In my head I'm saying what the hell and pretty sure you've lost 2 customers. We're not going back because I thought you're allowed to get what you want because you're paying for it. Guess we'll have to find another Korean restaurant with less rude workers! read more

Right in the middle of town eve and the business owner is super chill and nice. Great Korean food and definitely will be my new to go place!

Went here last minute for dinner, great service, and the food was amazing. Katsu was probably the best I've ever heard, and the cucumber kimchi was different but super tasty! High Recommend! read more

Rating is for Kim Bap Rolls only: Um...I'm about to share with you our go-to spot for Kim bap rolls. It's this place! When I was pregnant with my first child, I literally forced my husband to take me here to pick up a whole roll for myself every day after work for 3 wks! The best hands down place for Kim bap. Basically a bi bim bap bowl in sushi form. Which means I can eat it with my hands with virtually no mess. I must warn you, this place must be getting popular with their Kim bap because lately I've called ahead to see if they have in the middle of the afternoon and they are sold out!!! Long story short, this is a must try! You can even call the day or two before to order a party pan! read more

I wish I could say the experience was better but it is what it is: - The new worker needs to overcome her awkwardness. The time that I went the owner took the container of pancakes in the back so when I asked the new worker if they were going to have more she gave me a 'deer caught in the headlights' look and I think I had to ask several times before the older worker went in the back to ask. - They sell sandwiches, they even sell a special kimchee burger and fries combo BUT they DO NOT sell fries on the side even if you order something like a chicken sandwich. *boggle* read more

We got the family pack and there was a lot of food. The potato salad was delicious We will certainly go back again

You know your BBQ is good if the husband who is a very picky eater likes your BBQ Chicken. Been to Mama Woo's a few times and wanted to make mention that the food here is different than the other fast food Korean places. Their Kim chee is not watered down and they have deep fried eggplant as one of their veggie choices. For each regular plate you order, you have a choice of 4 veggies to choose from like, shoyu potato, choi sum, broccoli, bean sprouts, japchae, and many more including the fried eggplant that not all others offer. Mini plate includes a choice of just 2 veggies but it's also just a dollar less so just go fo broke and order the regular plate. I've tried the meat juhn, the special (which includes a generous portion of kalbi, bulgogi, BBQ chicken, a chicken wing, a mandoo). I've always left too full because their portions are not for the weak. Confession: My hubby doesn't really like Korean BBQ because he's not a fan of Kim chee nor the smell. But today he was game to come with me and he got the BBQ chicken with broccoli 2xs (yes you can double your veggies), mac salad, and corn. I was very surprised that when we were done eating, his plate was empty. That is a compliment. He stated that he really liked the sauce that the BBQ chicken had. So just because Mama Woo was able to change my hubbys mind about Korean BBQ makes this 4 star well deserved as it already is. Will we be back? Most definitely. read more

Mama Woo's BBQ - Special included BBQ beef, kalbi, BBQ chicken, mandoo, chicken wing, rice, 4 choices of veggies $12.95 - Korean Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

I love Korean food. At least once a week I'm craving any kind of Korean food. I've read a few reviews about this place and I've passed by it numerous times, one morning I thought, I'm going to just get something so I can stop wondering how good it is. I looked up their menu online so I knew what I wanted when I got there, I wanted to try something different from other Korean places. So I ordered: The Char broiled Saba fillet. It's under the specials and comes with four sides and white rice. Came out to: $8.70. Their sides were also different from other Korean bbq places, this is a GOOD thing. *I got the noodles, which had a bit more vegetables than other places I've tried, yay! *The tofu, this is one place where the tofu was actually displayed and had the seasonings on it already (red pepper and sauce etc.). *Broccoli, what I LOVED about this broccoli was that they were cut into pieces that could actually fit in my mouth. I hate getting those huge pieces of broccoli and I have to go cut it myself into itty bitty pieces JUST to eat it! It was steamed perfectly and nicely sprinkled with carrot shavings. *Lastly I got the potato salad. This was very good. They had a mixture of sweet potato and regular potatoes (?) and it had just enough mayo-mixture where it tasted like a potato salad with mayo and not the other way around. It's definitely unique to mama woo's (or at least I think it is cuz i haven't tried a potato salad like this anywhere else) and I'm so glad I got to try it. *My entree: This was the first time I've tried Saba. I didn't know what to expect and I wasn't sure if was going to rock my world or make me want to throw it away. I dug in and a choir of angels started singing in my head. It was broiled just right, the fish was cooked perfect. Not over cooked or too fishy for me. There were a few bones so it's definitely a fish you wanna take time eating or you'll swallow a bone or two. Comes with a lemon and dipping sauce too. Overall: I love love loved my experience here. It will definitely be a regular place for me to stop by when I'm having my Korean food cravings. Their menu is pretty extensive and they also do catering. They are open 7 days a week!!! read more

It took me a while, but I finally made it here! I first noticed Mama Woo's shortly after they first opened in this location. I didn't really give the place much thought except that I thought the very cutesy artwork and font on their signage looked like it was done in the style a high school girl. I never really gave it much though to eat there since Gina's is just down the street, but then I started hearing so much about this place through Yelp, and a few friends that I knew I just had to try it for myself. This past week I finally got the opportunity to stop by and try it out. I Pulled into the small parking lot and immediately found a spot. This was at about 4 pm on a weekday, so I didn't expect any problem with crowds, but I can see how it could get really packed in the parking lot during meal times. I walked in and was quickly greeted. I took a quick look at the menu board and settled on... MAMA'S SPECIAL ($9.95): A mix plate of kalbi, bbq chicken, bbq beef, spicy chicken wing, and mandoo. http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/HnkPFaN4qF0GoBSb_8jMAA?select=jT5D3ybpECDOZbh9frhAKw#PC_RuRszr_IfaEUnJ3LcWg And yes, I did get the fried eggplant. How could I not when that's what nearly all of the reviews and recommendations have in common? I regret to say that my experience with the fried eggplant wasn't as spectacular as other peoples seem to have been. Maybe it was because I went at an off-peak time, but the batter around the eggplant was cold, tough and chewy. Or is this how it's supposed to be? Maybe I'll have to go back during more regular mealtime hours to try it again. As for the food it was good and tasty while not being overly flavorful like some other places tend to be. I wasn't gulping down gallons of water to wash away the sodium after this meal. The generous amount of rice was just right for the meat provided, and the other veggies (kim chee, cucumber, and non-fried eggplant) were up to par. My first experience here was a solid three star experience for good food, and quick and friendly enough service, but for me the food just lacked that wow factor that would set Mama Woo's apart from all of the other Korean BBQ joints around town. I'll definitely return soon to give Mama Woo another shot to see if I stumble across something that really "woo's" me. ***31 Yelps: 20/31*** read more

Mama Woo's BBQ - Mama Special - Korean Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Delicious and yummy!! Perfect for a family meal. Ordered large family meals for a party and everyone loved the food. The Mandoo was especially tasty. The person who answered the PHone was also very helpful and nice. read more

Mama Woo's is a local Korean plate lunch place. They have soups, noodle dishes, meat dishes, and options for vegetarians. I got the bibim gooksu which are white cold noodle with veggies and meat on top. I got it spicy. But it wasn't spicy. The dish was too oily and too sweet... Was around $8 and filled a styrofoam take out container. I also tried their spicy chicken. It was better than the bibim gooksu. Can't really go wrong with spicy chicken. The lady working wasn't friendly but it's was fine since I did take out. The place is small (like four tables) and nothing fancy. I gave it a three because it wasn't horrible. But not the best. I will be back to try their other dishes. The banchan is standard for local Korean plate lunch. Kind of flavorless. The meats are marinated in the typical way. Salty, spiced, and decent. The fried eggplant is stale and I'm not a fan of it. Overall it's okay. But I wouldn't make it my first take out choice. However, if you're in the area it's worth consideration as a fast food option. Parking is in the front on street or in the lot. Prices are in the $7-10 range for most items. A-OK read more

Mama Woo's BBQ - Bibim gook soo - Korean Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Hawaii would not be "home" without the various local-palate influenced Korean BBQs around the island. That being said, I love me some K-BBQ and I'm thankful for all those awesome local restaurants. (Korean BBQ is one of my many guilty pleasures!) I still can't believe how long it's taken me to try this place--Mama Woo's is right next door to Pho Thinh, one of my favorite Pho spots on South King Street. Anyway, the bf and I finally made it by for some K-BBQ take out. We chose to share the spicy pork and zucchini jun plate that was listed on their blackboard of specials. We had Korean pancake, fried eggplant, potato, and Kimchee for our sides. Our plate: http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/HnkPFaN4qF0GoBSb_8jMAA?select=kMHl14aZ3jEVWKxOBCXfDw Some of the sides: http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/HnkPFaN4qF0GoBSb_8jMAA?select=eS_suyaaRorCr6z47Z3xvg The food came out fairly quickly, and we went on our merry way. At home, we dug in. For ~$9 with tax, I'd expect nothing short of tasty Korean BBQ. (Yummy's combination plates are almost equivalent in price.) Thank goodness Mama Woo knows how to please--the food was tastier than expected. The spicy pork had great flavor, but close to no spice; the zucchini jun sauce made the zucchini really pop; and the fried eggplant was delicious, unlike anything the bf and I had ever had before. Another plus about Mama Woo's - if you don't see what you're looking for (in terms of Korean dishes) on the menu, Mama Woo will try her best to make it for you! Now that's service!! FYI - Mama Woo's is cash only, so don't forget to bring them dollah bills! Yelp 365 - #138/365 read more

Mama Woo's BBQ - Spicy Pork & Zucchini Jun - Korean Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

See all

I've just come out of my food-induced coma from lunch at Mama Woo's to tap out this review using my dialing-wand (my fingers are too fat to try to use the keyboard properly). Seriously, I thought I was getting a mini-workout in by curling the heavy bag holding my take out plate but alas, there is no amount of exercise in a day to work off that quantity of food. I love that the place is so nice and clean and the variety of banchan to choose from is great! http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/HnkPFaN4qF0GoBSb_8jMAA?select=lthy3qT28kBue_caZ1i4Vw I chose the eggplant (thanks for the tip Lori I.!), cucumber, bean sprouts and choy sum. I also tried those mochi-like logs in the red sauce (sorry I have NO clue what it is) and the tofu. All of them were good, fresh and not overly salty or bland, except the tofu. It didn't soak up any flavor from the sauce whatsoever. The eggplant was really good, different texture until someone explained it is layered with mochi, then battered and fried. What is also awesome is that they offer the choice of brown rice without the up-charge as most places do. I got the two item combo with BBQ Chicken and Meat Jun. http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/HnkPFaN4qF0GoBSb_8jMAA?select=sumPRds3Q23N6VDHhfuBMQ as I'm known to taste (steal) from others' plates, I also tried the spicy chicken and spicy pork. Everything was tender, perfectly cooked and delicious! I will definitely be back as will the five others who tried Mama's for the first time today, the concensus was two thumbs up from everyone. Sadly, I didn't win in the battle of who could finish the most of their plate (although I came in at a respectable 3rd in an otherwise all-male field!) but I still have enough for another meal and more plate-lunch curls! read more

See all

I gotta admit, when you go to Korean BBQ joints, you always see the same things over and over again and it does get tiresome after a while. But someone told me about a place called Mama Woo's which has really good Korean food so i decided to give this place a try. At first, i thought this place could be a Korean Hostess Bar or even a Massage Parlor, but after i took one step into Mama Woo's Place, i knew i would be in for a treat.... PARKING: There are about 4 ro 5 stalls which are in front of the restaurant. There is also parking on the side of the street as well. FOOD: There are a lot of items to choose from, and they also have daily specials on the chalkboard to the left. The menu here is very diverse and simple. I wanted to try a little of everything, so i decided to try the... MAMA'S SPECIAL: This my friends, is a behemoth of a plate, which includes BBQ Beef, Kalbi, BBQ Chicken, Mandoo, and Spicy Chicken Wing with 4 sides. I can tell you now, whoever says they skimp on portions, definitely needs some eyeglasses or a magnifying glass because that meal alone put me in Kanack Attack Mode... BBQ Beef or Bul Go Gi: Generally, this would be the least favorite piece of meat at these places because they are normally rubbery like chewing gum or you could use them to fix a puncture in your car tire, but these little morsels of meat were actually quite tender. Big Surprise KALBI: Nothing to write home about, but it was good nonetheless... BBQ CHICKEN: Just what you would expect in good BBQ Chicken. Not dry and quite moist... MANDOO: This was surprisingly crunchy and quite delicious. I wish i had a few more of these puppies.. SPICY CHICKEN WING: Now this my fellow yelpies, was the" STAR OF THE SHOW". This Chicken Wing had the most amazing flavor and crunch to it with just the right spices i wish i had an ICE COLD CORONA to eat with this. This would have been the PERFECT barfood item if this was in a bar. It had just the right spiciness without being ridiculously HOT where i can't even eat it. I definitely have to go back specifically just for this item and probably sneak in a beer with me as well... =) THE SIDES: What's nice about the sides here is that you get to choose 4 sides with your plate and besides the standard Kim Chee, Beansprouts, and other things, the sides here are very unique. Mama insisted i try the Eggplant, which is not really one of my favorites, but im not going to tell Mama No, so i gave it a shot. And boy was i glad to have taken that chance. It was really good. The funny part of this was while i was eating my meal in the restaurant, a local lady was ordering just the sides so she could take them home and eat them at a later time. That is very unusual for me for someone to order sides like that so Mama's sides must really be good.... SERVICE-OVERALL: I was very impressed with this place. I never knew there would be another Mama who be as charming and gracious as Gina mama from Gina's Korean BBQ in Market City, but i have found her long lost sister who is the Mama at Mama Woo's. She was very pleasant and suggested i try her eggplant. I left this place with a full stomach and very satisfied indeed. This place is very clean as well, which adds to your dining experience. I have give this place another try and see how consistent it is. Maybe it was just my lucky day or the Kimchee Gods were smiling above me.....KAMSAMNIDA MAMA WOO!!!!! read more

Mama Woo's BBQ - Mamas special.. - Korean Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Let's just face it, Korean BBQ is the best hang over remedy. Has been mine for years. Korean women on the other hand, have given me nothing but grief. Regardless, both are arguably delicious. When you see a place like this, most times you think, "if you've tried one, you've tried them all". This is true to a certain extent. Same format of menu and look of dining area. The same type of mama-san taking your order, with either that fire cracker or hospitable demeanor. Then there's that "choose your 4 vegetables" section. Well, what separates this place from many others like it is the accessible location on King Street (the same space that Hawaii Hot Sauce place was back a few years ago). Here are some others: -Very quick pull to the side, in and out street parking. -The food comes out pretty dang fast for a made to order venue. -The prices are cheap (a Kal-bi combo plate is only $9.95). -Another thing I found interesting in their array of kim chee and taegu choices, is they have a vegetable tempura section, which $3.75 extra for side order. They also have a really good potato salad. Can you think of a place on the island where you can order mac AND potato salad on the same plate? PLUS! -They serve that crushed, slushy-style ice in their fountain drinks. The kind you only find at old school hole-in-the-wall places in Kalihi or country-side -Last but not least, local cops (on and off duty) come here to eat. I ordered a spicy pork plate ($7.95) and though I wish they kept it pieced together instead of cutting it, that did nothing to the taste. Very delicious and tender! Not too salty or wet like some places and that nice red staining the rice, which I found myself picking off my shirt and eating (the same way gorillas eat ukus off other gorillas). The best part about my entire meal was that I ate it with a pair of bo-legged chopsticks (manufacturer's fault, even if I know "some" Yelpers out there would nit pick), which only added to my first experience at Mama's. Like their slogan says: "Hungry? Nobody satisfies you like Mama." And I applaud! Well done, Woo's! Even if you are cash only. 4 stars Mama Woo's Bar-B-Q on King Street. read more

Mama Woo's BBQ - Spicy BBQ pork plate, $7.95. - Korean Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Love the food, not the service! I wish they would be more welcoming as you walk in. It's cash only. This part gets me a little because you know they're not trying to be honest with there taxes. But, who am I to judge their hustle. It's rare for me to carry cash so it makes it difficult to go there when I only have on CC's on hand. Portion size is ok. They could do better for the amount you pay. If they worked on these two things, this place would be amazing. I have hope they'll make a few adjustments to take their business to the next level of service:) read more

I think Mama Woo's has the best side dishes of any Korean takeout restaurant. Too bad the main dishes like meat jun, zucchini juhn n bbq chicken is just so so. The plus about this place is that they serve brown rice but the real negative about this place is that every so many months like clockwork they raise their prices making them one of the most expensive Korean takeout places on this island. It wouldn't be too bad if they gave a lot of veggie side dishes like Pearls or Gina's but they are MANINI w their veggies! After the last price increase I can't afford to eat here. Well, it was good while it lasted! read more

I got the Korean sushi and Bibim kookso! Both were good that I can recommend! I called my order in and was ready when I got there to pay! 5 minutes tops! read more

So the then girlfriend and now Fiancee had been obsessing over this place since she saw the sign up months ago. I'm not exactly sure how long, but the owner said it had been up since January 2010. they actually opened up August 24, 2010, which was just the day before we went. Nice coincidence that we finally decided on going here as we've seen it numerous times since driving past it on King Street. So, The Fiancee kept asking me rhetorically if this was the place at Windward Mall that disappeared. Answer: Yes it is. This Windward Mall refugee has a clean interior and a very friendly local korean lady. So, no eccentric, disgruntled, or moody mama-san's here. She's very nice. I ordered the Mama Woo's Special. It's pretty much a meaty massive sampler plate lunch. It came with one kimchee chicken wing, kalbi ribs, bulgogi beef, bbq chicken, rice, and a drink. Additionally, you get to pick four sides, of which I chose: Okinawan potato salad, sprouts, kim chee, and long rice noodles. All of this for under $10! I started off with the chicken wing and that was money. It was crispy and really good. Not overly spicy, but it probably could get hot if you were chomping down ten of them. I asked if she does it without the kimchee sauce because it was crispy with the sauce, but I could imagine it being super crisp without (Did I mention I love fried crunchiness?!). The added sauce didn't make it soggy, just took a slight bit of crunch away. Keeping that crunch is hard to do and they accomplished it here. She said it would taste bland without the sauce, although I think I'll just try it next time and ask for half without. Maybe add a little salt for seasoning. To me, the wing are winners here and this is what probably is going to bring me back the most. The ribs were fat and juicy, not thin. The juicy oil creating a savory shiny glaze dripping off the top helped add a good bbq flavor. The bulgogi was similar to other places on the island, served in thin pieces. The chicken although similar in taste to other establishments was very moist, where other places would be dry because they cooked it way ahead of time. The sides were tasty, although what stood out in my mind was the sweeter Okinawan potato salad. It's open seven days a week! That's mall hours for a non-mall location. There's only about four small tables inside, so having a large group isn't probably the best idea. Parking is junk (well, parking all around Honolulu sucks anyways), but you can park in reserved spaces in front, to the immediate side of the restaurant, and the lady pointed that there were some spaces behind in the next driveway. Of course you can park on the street, but good luck with that. read more

See all

This, again, is one of those locations I drove by numerous times coming home from work. Stuck in afternoon Diamond Head-bound King Street traffic, you can't help but notice the interesting sign - I thought it was going to be a Barbeque place, like ribs or cole slaw; but alas, it was just your standard Korean joint. Justin R. and I stood out in front of the two businesses side-by-side, Mama Woo's... or Pho (little did we know that the Pho place next door had a 4.5 star rating with 61 reviews, and took credit card) instead, we ended up at Mama Woo's. The GOOD: Very clean inside, and the person behind the counter, whom I assume is Mama was super friendly. She greeted us and we kindly gazed at her menu. They offer the standard menu, with some local twists. Beside the mandoo, a loco moco is offered on the menu as well as meat jun, katsu and Kal Bi. As with every other Korean eatery, you get the basics to choose from, four sides, I got battered "Mama's Specialty Eggplant", Kim Chee pancake, tofu and seaweed. There is a reason its Mama's Specialty... its fu*king good that's why. Its crispy, chewy, savory and saucy and pairs amazingly with the kim chee pancake (which I have NEVER seen before). The pancake is a thin cake cut into squares and is taste like it sounds. A sweet soft cake with a kim chee kick and a cabbage crunch. The BAD: As far as portions go, I was disappointed. I ordered a two item combo: bbq Chicken and mandoo with a price tag comparable to other Korean kitchens. Sadly though, I only got about half of what other places usually serve, quite literally half, it was cut with a knife in half, and I got two quarters of the meat. The mandoo also appeared slightly under cooked, it wasn't brown at all and they had no crunch. Another downer is that they only take cash. I know it's common to be cash only on the islands, while everywhere else takes cards, it was just a downer. Another major downer is that I found a gnarly hair in my mandoo after I came home, but I figure that it was probably fried along and anything germ-like would be cooked away. In other words, it didn't deter me from eating it. Overall: Mama Woo has that eggplant, which alone can have me come back for a side order of that along with the kim chee pancake. Both of those though are specials, meaning she doesn't make them every day. Sadly, I am not impressed with the portions and the rest of the food was pretty standard Korean. The thing that is pretty much saving Mama is the awesome attitude and friendly greetings, I would feel like a monster knocking her down on yelp. As for coming back, it seems expensive for what you get considering down the street, I could get more for the same price at Gina's. On the other hand, Mama Woo does catering, and even sells her marinated meats by the pound, so you can cook at home and impress your friends as if you were Sandra Lee. That was something I was impressed by. Mama Woo's is a solid three, and again, it was her attitude that saved her. read more

Mama Woo's BBQ - Korean Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

After reading the reviews I decided to give this place a try. Pulled in about 7ish...........the restaurant next door was slammed but Mama Woo's was completely empty. I wondered why but was still eager to try them. I ordered the mochiko chicken and meat jun combo. With the plate 4 choices of pan chun comes with it. I asked if they used MSG and what appeared to be the big mama her self said yes they do in everything. BUMMER. My wife ordered the spicy pork zuchinni jun combo. She had 3 pieces of zuchinni and 1 decient and 1 small piece of pork. REALLY? Portions are such a bummer. My mochiko chicken was hard, dried out and over cooked, very thick batter heavy and the flavor was NOT mochiko chicken. what the hell was that? Nah, thats ok. Tried it and dont need to return. read more

See all

I'm a sucker for good banchan with my Korean food, and Mama Woo's certainly delivers above-average sides for a quick-and-easy take out Korean BBQ joint. The often-mentioned fried eggplant is really tasty, despite the fact that I've never managed to get it really fresh out of the pan/fryer/whatever-the-hell-they-cook-it-in, so it has been a wee bit soggy each time. The potato salad, mac salad, and all vegetables that I have tried have been tasty. Mama Woo's meat dishes haven't left me disappointed, nor totally "wow"-ed. I've had the meat jun plate and the Mama's Special, and while the meat jun and kalbi are both tasty, Mama's wings have been the standout flavor-wise. Don't expect the portions that Peppa's will give you (portions are still far too big for me, but you won't have three days of leftovers), but do expect moderately higher quality. read more

I had a craving for Korean food that was fast and cheap - yet not somewhere generic like Yummy's or Peppa's. It was suggested to me by many people over the years that Mama Woo's was the bomb and that I should try it out. Since I am now in town most of the time, I hopped into my car and went on a lunch adventure. Upon entering I had a dumbass moment. The lights were on, it was 1100am, and Mama Woo was inside. I pushed the door, and it was locked. I stared at Mama Woo and the place was empty. I looked at the sign and it said it was open at 1030am. Mama motioned to come in. PULL not PUSH dummy! *slaps own head* Anyways, besides that embarrassing moment, the restaurant is cute and clean. There are an array of unique banchan that you don't find anywhere else at a fast food Korean joint. I was excited to see turnip leaf kim chee and picked that, along with regular cabbage kim chee, potato and her fried eggplant. The turnip leaf kim chee was wonderful. Perfectly spiced and reminded me of when my mom makes it. I ate it up. The regular kim chee was decent. The shoyu potato was a bit too sweet for my taste, and the fried eggplant everyone raves about was a little stale? Not crispy like I'd thought it would be and got stuck to my teeth. It was weird and too sweet for me as well. I ordered the Mama Woo's special to have a taste of everything. It consists of kalbi, bulgogi, bbq chicken, a mandoo and a Korean spicy chicken wing. The kalbi, bulgogi and mandoo was good. I thought the BBQ chicken was a bit too sweet again for me. Too much sugar in the sauce. I did not try the spicy chicken wing yet. I do absolutely love that the plate was humongous! She gave loads of food and I couldn't finish it, thus why I didn't get to try the chicken wing yet. I get to save the rest for dinner! Pretty decent amount of food that can be split into two meals for a decent price! Parking is limited in a very small lot, but I found street parking which was plentiful. Mama was kind and smiley. Not sure about the other servers in the other reviews that were cranky and rude. If I ever have a craving again I'd go here simply for the banchan and the amount of food for the price. read more

Mama Woo's BBQ - Mama's special. - Korean Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

As many have shared, sides are many and various. First I've ever seen, tempura eggplant, Korean style. Yum! Ordered the 2-choice combo with meat jun and mandoo. Barely sat down and my order was ready. Mandoo was definitely homemade. Have tasted better but not bad. Meat jun was good but sauce was a little more vinegary than I'm used to. Overall,great experience. Will be back. Note: Parking is tight unless you're going during off dining hours. read more

Getting there: Easy to find and park next to the pet clinic on King St. Ambiance: It's takeout. No ambiance necessary but the place seemed clean enough. Service: Easy to use website and order by phone. Food: What would separate this place from others I've tried is the special rice noodle side and decent amount of tofu. Standard meat dishes apply here and the special gives you a good range to sample. The meat jun is on the thin side but the batter gives it a thick taste to it. Still good since there's no chewy fat to contend with. Who to bring: People to help you carry the take out. How much to bring: Ten bucks or less for each dish. Special takeout platters go for more. Verdict: Fourth star earned due to the unique sides but the main dishes are just your normal Korean take out. Final notes: It's hard to grade take out but this place does its job and I suppose if you get take out, you're not looking for an elaborate meal. read more

Good cheap korean bbq, but sometimes the meat can be really dry. That's what you get though for cheap kbbq takeout. I recommend their purple rice option it's healthy and yummy. Their Mac salad isn't the best flavor. I rather get the fried eggplant. read more

Oh, Mama Woo, your fried eggplant is the key to my heart! Holy Korean BBQ, this place trumps them all! Let me throw in a little disclaimer...ever since I can remember, I've always ordered chicken katsu at Korean BBQ's. As such, I base all of my comparisons on various chicken katsu's. So...I can't truly speak for other dishes, but if Mama Woo's other plates are as awesome as her chicken katsu, we have ourselves a winner! Mama Woo's set the bar very high in my Korean BBQ book. Yes, the katsu was the bomb, but what really put her plate lunch over the top was one of her "sides"... *drum roll please* ....the FRIED EGGPLANT. OH. EM. GEE. Remember the magic hollandaise sauce? I think some of that magic is in Mama's fried eggplant. I don't know what made it so much better than any other fried eggplant, but it's in a league of its own! Next time I'm just going to get fried eggplant for all 4 of my sides. Yup. It's THAT good. read more

Mama Woo's BBQ - Korean Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Great I missed the street to where I was planning to go and eat, oh okay now where shall I go.. Whoa! hit the brakes I've heard about Mama Woo's and I have been planning to go one day perfect, it's right there and you know what I'm glad I did go as it was better than the place I was actually heading to (mostly for not being creative on where to go and eat that day). Granted this is the third time I tried to go there as it gets quite busy in the parking lot during lunch this time I got there and there were three parking stalls open this must be a sign. I walked in noticing how clean the place was which is always good as I hate sitting at a table that's all sticky and stufff. The first thing that caught my eye was the Mochiko Chicken cool oh and even better a mix of Mochiko Chicken and Meat Jun which I ordered. As Korean places go there are the usual Kalbi, Mandoo, BBQ Chicken, and Meat Jun items but Mama Woo's also has some other items that look interesting too. They have pretty much the same kinds of side vegetables as most Korean Restaurants but They have good Sweet Potato salad and a Radish top Kim Chee that is really good. The Mochiko Chicken on my plate looked a bit dark not burnt but dark but the taste was good I liked it. My Meat Jun was also good one thing I had to admit was I was full I swear I would have dozed off at work except my boss said I could go home early since I had to support a upgrade at 2am that morning whew saved! I'm sure going to go back again since now I know they have parking in the back too. read more

Mama Woo's BBQ - Mochiko chicken & Meat Jun - Korean Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii